1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a patterning method, a lithography apparatus and system, and an article manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lithography apparatuses such as an exposure apparatus (including a charged particle beam drawing apparatus) and an imprint apparatus can measure an alignment mark for each wafer, position the wafer based on the measurement result, and perform patterning. Generally in this alignment measurement, the marks of some shot regions are measured, and the positions of all the respective shot regions are calculated from the measurement values. In the calculation process, the position of a shot region (that can further include the dimensions and shape of the shot region) is calculated by using a predetermined algorithm. For example, when the shapes of shot regions are different at random, it is necessary to measure the marks of all shot regions. In this case, alignment measurement takes a very long time. The measurement time is therefore shortened by a method that uses measured data for the next process.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-323383 has disclosed a technique of applying an alignment measurement result to another process. The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-323383 searches for and applies a measurement result obtained in a process that is the same as or similar to a process, to which the measurement result is applied, in terms of an exposure apparatus or recipe to be used.
However, when a measurement result is applied in the related art, the time taken for alignment measurement can be shortened. However, there is room for improvement of the overlay precision in consideration of the difference in conditions between a process in which the measurement result was obtained, and a process to which the measurement result is applied.